The Cursed Prince of Mirkwood
by starwishes
Summary: PreLOTR. After the deaths of 3 members of the royal family, the people of Mirkwood is convinced that their youngest prince, who was present at all of their death, is cursed. Will a meeting with Estel of Imladris bring hope into the dark life of Legolas?


AN: An LOTR story, yes I know it's strange since I practically abandoned "These Tears You Cry" (and thinking of deleting it since it's nagging my mind). But this one was going to be the rewrite of it, but then the plot was entirely different so it had to be a different story.

Don't own. I am no Tolkien after all.

Hope you enjoy.

XXX

The bright sunlight streamed into a clean, nice room. The figure on the small bed looked dead, with grayish-blue eyes wide open and glazed over. The calmness and peacefulness of morning was soon broken by a crisp, heavy knock.

"Prince Legolas?" an elegant male voice demanded politely. The blonde figure on the bed bolted up, eyes suddenly awake and aware, and his fair-skinned hand flew to a jewel-handled blade underneath his pillow. "Prince Legolas? Are you alright?"

Legolas relaxed and released his hold on his prized ivory knife. "Yes, I'm fine. Come in Aethin." A brown-haired elf with gray eyes and high cheekbones came in.

"What happened?" Aethin asked worriedly. "I was sure I heard a clatter of a steel of some sort." Legolas sighed wearily, and ran a hand through his messy blonde hair.

"I lost myself for a while, I thought I was back in the forest, patrolling," the prince said tiredly.

The servant elf gave him a pitying smile. "It's hard not to, I suppose, since you're out there most of the time."

The prince gave a helpless shrug. "I guess it can't be helped." He gave a yawn and stared at the servant questionably. "Why did you come to wake me this early?"

Aethin chuckled. "It is, by no means, early, my prince. The king sent me to wake you. He said he wants a report on your patrolling after breakfast, and milord, breakfast is nearly done."

Legolas' eyes widened and looked out his bedroom window. Aethin was right, it was definitely _not_ early. He rushed out of his bed and went through his morning routine quickly. Aethin gave the prince a bow before leaving to attend his other duties in the castle. "Have a wonderful day milord." Legolas inwardly snorted. Somehow, he knew this was going to end up as an argument. Again.

Just as he finished tying his blonde hair into the warrior braids, a brunette she-elf bolted through the door. "Legolas! Hurry! Ada's looking-"

"I know, Menelwen," Legolas muttered, his hand grabbing his weapons. "He's looking for me."

"Why are you bringing your weapons?" his sister asked. "It's just a meeting with Ada! And he's mad. Really, really angry actually. You skipped breakfast and it's the tradition and rule-"

"I know," Legolas replied tersely. "But it's not like he's ever happy with me."

"Greenleaf," Menelwen's pretty elven features soften as she heard her brother's bitter words.

Legolas shook his head. "It's okay." He bit his lip, frustrated. "I don't blame him. If I was in his place, I would do the exact same thing."

"No you wouldn't," Menelwen objected softly. "You're much too soft-hearted and kind to do something like that."

Legolas gave her a smile. "Thank you."

The princess gave him a nod before shoving him from his room. "Hurry Greenleaf."

Legolas' elven grave saved his pride as he quickly regained his balance. "Where is Ada?"

"In his study, as always," Menelwen replied rolling her gray eyes. "Don't anger him further."

"Oh, you think I try?"

Menelwen smiled and shooed him. "If you don't hurry he really will be angry." Legolas hurried away, strapping his weapons to his waist as he went.

XXX

"Adar," Legolas bowed politely to a peeved king. Thranduil was glaring at his youngest and his face expressed his utmost anger. Legolas felt his hope of not starting an argument with his father vanish.

"Beinion, Glandur, I will see you later. I need to speak to my tardy son right now," the king said in a tense voice.

The two elven warriors bowed respectfully to the king before doing the same to Legolas and leaving. Beinion flashed Legolas a quick smile before leaving however, and that brought happiness and light to the prince's heart, knowing his childhood friend was still supporting him.

"Legolas," the king said gravely. "Explain yourself. Beinion had given me a full report on the patrol, and there were too many deaths and injuries. You were captain of the patrol Legolas. What happened?"

"We were ambushed, my king," Legolas replied, avoiding his father's eyes. He opened his mouth to add more when he was interrupted.

"Yes, yes," the king waved Legolas off. "I know. I heard the report. I want to know _how_ you got ambushed. Were you inattentive?"

"No," Legolas replied, anger lacing his voice. "It was a trap."

"You are a captain Legolas, it is your job to be able to track and detonate these traps. Now let me ask again. _How did you get ambushed?_"

"I was injured from the fight before with the orcs," Legolas replied angrily. "We were not given enough time to recuperate and tend to our injuries when we were ambushed by the spiders."

"As I said, you were inattentive," the king raised a hand to silence Legolas who opened his mouth to protest. "Injured or not, you should've been aware at all times Legolas. The lives of our warriors depend on your attentiveness. I will not allow something like this happen again."

"Yes, adar," Legolas replied tonelessly.

"Furthermore, the orcs that were terrorizing the east are still wandering around, destroying our forest. I will allow you a few days rest before setting out again. Do you hear?"

Legolas gritted his teeth in anger. "Father, I had just come back…"

"Do you hear, Legolas?"

"Yes Father."

"Good. You are dismissed," the king said. Legolas bowed stiffly and moved towards the great oak doors of the study. "One more thing." Legolas turned to face his father. "Do not fail me again."

Legolas' eyes narrowed in anger before bowing swiftly once more. "Don't worry, fatherI will not fail you."

He turned and exited the study in anger and haste, not noticing that as he exited, Thranduil had lowered his face into his hands, his mouth whispering, "Why can't I stop?"

XXX

Legolas found Menelwen outside up in her tree, softly singing to it while its branches tenderly swayed to the music. Legolas stood at the base of the tree and stared at the top at his sister.

The tree, sensing his arrival, stopped swaying and slowly, almost unnoticeable, caressed the prince's face with one of its lower branches. "Hello friend," Legolas said fondly, touching the tree trunk in greeting. "Is my sister well?"

_Very, _ it seemed to reply in Legolas' mind. _Her voice becomes more beautiful each day.   
_

"Aye," Legolas whispered. Closing his eyes, he sat down at the base of the tree, listening to his sister singing. He felt peace come over him, calming his frayed nerves. Slowly, he felt nature become more in tune with him. He heard the birds chirping happily just a few meters away, a few bugs crawling around the tree where he sits, the wind blowing quietly, it calmed him down and brought him great joy.

Menelwen suddenly stopped singing and Legolas opened his eyes to look up at what had caused her to stop. "Legolas?" he heard her call. "Is that you?"

"Aye," he returned. "I'm here sister."

Silently, she climbed back down and sat back down beside her beloved brother. "How did it go?"

"Not too well," he replied sadly. "Not surprisingly, considering the number of soldiers that were killed."

"It was not your fault," the princess said. "You cannot choose who goes to the Halls of Mandos."

"I shouldn't have been so inattentive," Legolas said sadly. "It's all my fault that their families mourn. And it shall be my fault if they fade…"

Menelwen sighed and hugged her brother comfortingly. "Greenleaf you sound as if a whole battalion had been killed."

Legolas pulled away, his silver-grey eyes filled with fear and sadness. "He's right. Ada's right. I'm cursed."

"Legolas," Menelwen said, exasperated. "You are not cursed."

"I am," he cried out. "Look what happened to everyone that cared for me. No, Menelwen, you should get away from me, you shouldn't be this close… something's going to happen…"

Menelwen scowled, and inwardly cursed her father. She grabbed the shoulders of her shaking brother and held him still and forced him to look at her. "Listen to me, brother, you _are not _cursed. Father is unreasonable and stupid. Don't listen to him okay?"

"But it's true," Legolas muttered. "Nana, Ithilwen, Feredir, Airion… the list goes on. If it's not true, then why are the people afraid of me?"

"They are stupid," Menelwen insisted. "You are not cursed Greenleaf. Look at me. I care for you so much, yet I still live. Beinion has been your friend since you two were little elflings, and he still lives. Adar, yes he cares about you, still lives on. The twins, Imrathon and Caunion loves you so much and they still carry on, as do Calanon. Don't be like this, brother."

Legolas chuckled mirthlessly. "Adar does not care about me. He sends me out of the palace for patrols so much that I'm nearly never home. The reason is so that he won't have to look at me each day. He loathes me, sister." He bit his lip to keep his tears at bay. He stood up quickly and his sister immediately attempted to pull him back down. "No, Menelwen, I must inform my warriors about the patrol in a few days."

The princess' gray-blue eyes widened. "No…" she whispered, getting up as well. "He sent you again?"

"Aye," Legolas replied.

Menelwen wiped the tears of her brother's face sadly. "I will talk to him."

"It's no use," the prince said, sniffling. He wiped his own tears away, and closed his eyes to keep more from coming. "It is unbecoming of a seasoned warrior to cry, Menelwen?"

"You are but a child," she said. "Whom I love much. A child can cry anytime they want. Don't push yourself Legolas."

"I'm fine," he said stiffly. "I have to go." He hugged his sister quickly before running off. Menelwen watched him go with sad eyes, before a fire burning with anger flashed in her eyes.

_You must not blame the King, _ the tree whispered softly. _He cannot help himself. He sees too much of the Queen in the young prince, and that only adds to his pain and grief. _

"I know," Menelwen said. "He is still being unjust. Legolas looks up to his father, even though he won't admit it."

She bade her tree farewell before going up to the Mirkwood palace. "Menelwen!" Two identical voices called out to her. She knew before she saw them that they were her little twin brothers.

"Imrathon, Caunion," she greeted them accordingly. "Aren't you supposed to be in training right now?"

"They let us off early," Imrathon – or was it Caunion – said with a sly grin. "Because we finished early and we were on good behavior."

"Aye," the other twin replied, "although the head healer was peeved that we switched on him again."

Menelwen sighed. "You two are too much a like," she muttered. "Imrathon, you should _stay _in the healer's ward and Caunion should stay at the warrior's training. Why would you want to switch?"

"It is a new learning experience," they replied simultaneously. "Loosen up sister, and _enjoy_ life!"

"I'll enjoy it after I go give father a talk."

The twins instantly sobered. "Legolas?"

"Yes," Menelwen said sadly. "He had a tense conversation with ada this morning. He's been sent on another patrol in a few days."

"But he has just arrived home!" It had to be Imrathon who said that, he had always been the one that worried more. "I haven't even _seen_ my little brother yet!"

"Typical father," Caunion muttered. "He still grieves and cannot bear the sight of his own son. Does Legolas have to die before he realizes what he's done?"

"I hope not," Menelwen said. "Come, join me brothers, let us talk some sense into ada."

Imrathon frowned. "Maybe we should ask Calanon to come as well. Ada favours him over the rest of us."

"Calanon is busy with work," Menelwen replied. "We shouldn't bother him."

"What can be more important than family?" Imrathon shot back. "Calanon cares about Legolas as much as the rest of us. He should come as well. Father would be more easily moved if all of us are there."

The twins ignored Menelwen's protests and went ahead to the Crown Prince's study room. Menelwen scowled tightly and resisted the urge to run after them and hit them. "I wish Legolas was here to see how much we all really care about him."

XXX

End of Chapter 1.

So what's your opinion? Good? Bad? Should I delete it and not waste my time to write more? Reviews please!


End file.
